Two Indian-origin members of parliament in New Zealand have proposed members’ bills to address significant social causes. Although the bill introduced by Priyanca Radhakrishnan was to criminalise virginity testing and hymenoplasty, that by Parmjeet Parmar attempted to find a balance between alcohol licensing and the welfare of communities.
Radhakrishnan is an opposition Labour Party MP. She was made New Zealand’s first-ever Indian-origin minister in 2020. Parmar, whose bill would guarantee a transparent and fair process in alcohol licensing, represents the ACT Party, which is a member of the governing coalition. She has been an MP since 2014.
Virginity Testing a Breach of Human Rights: Kiwi MP
Former Labour minister Radhakrishnan said virginity testing and hymenoplasty needed to be criminalised as they were breaches of women’s human rights.
Hymenoplasty, or hymen repair surgery, is performed for the purpose of restoring the appearance of having remained a virgin.
Radhakrishnan, 44, who has served as a legislator since 2017, has introduced the Crimes (Virginity Testing Practices) Amendment Bill which “would shield vulnerable women and girls by amending the Crimes Act 1961 to add new offences criminalising virginity testing and associated practice of hymenoplasty”, Radio New Zealand (RNZ) reported on Thursday.
“In many societies around the world, purity before marriage is an expectation. In some cases, this gets taken further and the expectation is to prove it,” RNZ quoted the Indian-origin MP as saying.
“This is not a cultural practice; it’s rooted in patriarchy and is a human rights violation. Only women are expected to be pure and only women are punished if they’re not,” she added.
“The UK has already banned virginity testing and hymenoplasty, and the World Health Organisation has called for its global ban. It’s time New Zealand also recognises this form of gendered abuse and acts to end it,” she said.
Radhakrishnan added she was backed by the community on the bill. Significantly, her efforts have focused on giving voice to the voiceless such as survivors of domestic violence and abused migrant workers.
Parmar’s Bill Seeks to make Liquor Licensing More Fair
Parmar, ACT Party MP since 2023, was National Party MP between 2014 and 2020.
Parmar’s Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Participation in Licensing Decisions) Amendment Bill “tries to find a balance between the rights of licensed trade businesses and the interests of the local community by making sure that there is a fair and transparent process for liquor license applications and renewals,” the RNZ reported.
Parmar explained she brought in the bill to simplify alcohol licensing, to cut costs and uncertainty for companies, following a warning from a business association.
“Many liquor shops are now having to spend significant amounts of time and money on consultants and lawyers to seek help against the uncertainty they face for the future of their business. The individuals who own these shops have invested their hard-earned savings and often have their homes mortgaged to build a life for themselves and their families,” Radio New Zealand quoted Parmar as saying.
“It is important that we have a balanced approach that respects the rights of legitimate businesses along with the interests of the community in the vicinity,” she added.
According to her, the bill aims to balance business rights and community interests by introducing a fair and transparent liquor licensing process.
What is Members’ Bill in New Zealand Parliament?
Members’ bills are bills presented by non-ministers. Every second Wednesday the House has priority for local, private, and members’ bills. Members’ bills are debated on these Wednesday, as per New Zealand Parliament’s official website.
On every members’ day, there should be at least eight members’ bills on the Order Paper to be considered. When a vacancy arises, a ballot is taken to determine which new bills will be brought in. MPs can put their bills into the ballot by giving notice of proposal and a copy of the bill to the House Office this can be done on any working day.
When submitted, the suggested bill is posted on the Parliament website, wherein other members may openly express their support prior to the ballot. If at least 61 non-executive members publicly support a members’ bill, it is introduced without requiring selection via the ballot.
The two bills submitted by Indian-origin MPs in New Zealand address very important matters regarding women’s rights and community welfare.
